TPG - AprilMayJune 2016

EDUCATOR’S PAGE

Monazite, columbite, tantalite, xeno- time, and bastnasite are the five primary minerals from which REEs are extracted (2). Cerium and lanthanum are primary REE constituents of both bastnäsite and monazite (6, 8). Due to the occasional presence of uranium and thorium, mona- zite can be radioactive. The primary constituent of xenotime is yttrium.

Where are They Located?

In the United States, REEs may be found in placer deposits in Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (9). The largest REE-producing mine in the United States was Mountain Pass mine in California. Mountain Pass mine removed bastnäsite from carbon- atite intrusions, and was the world’s primary REE producer into the 1980s. Thereafter, China established itself as a dominant producer of REEs, and today, it supplies nearly all (~97%) of the world’s rare earth elements. Over the past few years, China has been reducing REE exports, evidently as a consequence of needing more for its own uses. Australia, India and Russia, and a few others, also produce REEs (1).

Looking to the Future As our society grows more dependent

upon REEs the problem of cost-effective- ly mining them becomes increasingly more important. And, since the United States relies on importing the REEs it uses, a complete reliance on foreign pro- ducers of these expensive and in-demand materials seriously disadvantages the sustainability of technological advance- ment. Searching for economically valu- able REE sources continues, and promise exists for new mines in the United States and Canada. Another avenue of explora- tion relates to recycling REEs from used electronics and catalytic converters (10).

Featured Resource

This issue’s featured resource is from CBS News’ 60 Minutes website accessi- ble at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ rare-earth-elements-china-monopoly- 60-minutes-lesley-stahl-2/

At the link, the script and video for the March 22, 2015 60 Minutes segment entitled “Rare Earth Elements” can be accessed (though, access to the video is restricted to subscribers). A search engine can be used to find the same video clip on YouTube. While the story may not necessarily be free of bias, it

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certainly establishes a context for an interesting discussion or debate about the ramifications of a shortage in the availability of technologically vital mate- rials, and consequently, the implication for our continued dependence on them for advancement in this electronic age.

References

1. Van Gosen, B.S., Verplanck, P.L., Long, K.R., Gambogi, J., & Seal, R.R., II. (2014). The rare-earth ele- ments: Vital to modern technologies and lifestyles. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3078. Accessible at

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ fs20143078

2. Veronese, K. (2014). Rare: The high- stakes race to satisfy our need for the scarcest metals on Earth. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

3. Stwertka, A. (2002). A guide to the elements (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

4. Haxel, G.B., Hedrick, J.B., & Oris, G.J. (2002). Rare earth elements: Critical resources for high tech- nology. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2002-087. Accessible at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/ fs087-02/fs087-02.pdf

5. Bleiwas, D.I. (2013). Potential for recovery

of cerium contained in

automotive catalytic converters. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1037. Accessible at http:// pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1037

6. Klein, C. & Philpotts, A. (2013). Earth materials: Introduction to mineral- ogy and petrology. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press.

7. Verplanck, P.L., & Van Gosen, B.S. (2011). Carbonatite and alkaline intrusion-related rare earth ele- ment deposits: A deposit model. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011-1256. Accessible at http:// pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1256/ report/OF11-1256.pdf

8. Nesse, W.D. (2012). Introduction to mineralogy (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

9. Long, K.R., Van Gosen, B.S., Foley, N.K., & Cordier, D. (2010). The prin- cipal rare earth elements deposits of the United States: A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report

Is Your Profile Correct?

It is important to keep your address, phone numbers, and e-mail information up to date in our records. Please take the time to go to the AIPG National Website, www.aipg.org, login to the member portion of the site and make sure your infor- mation is correct. You can edit your record online. If you do not know your login and password you can e-mail National Headquarters at aipg@aipg.org or call (303) 412-6205.

2010–5220. Accessible at http:// pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5220/

10. Goonan, T.G. (2011). Rare earth elements: End use and recyclability. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5094. Accessible at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ sir/2011/5094/pdf/sir2011-5094. pdf

For those who need only an occa-

sional search of the GeoRef database, it is easy to request a GeoRef custom search. A member of the GeoRef staff will conduct the search according to your specifications. The search results will be delivered by email.

To order a Custom Search, contact Jim Mehl at jmp@agiweb.org, (703) 379-2480 ext 236 or Monika Long at ml@agiweb.org.

The cost of a custom search is $225.00 plus $.45 per reference.

Please mention AIPG when order- ing your custom search.

Apr.May.Jun 2016 • TPG 37

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